Tacloban City (CNN Philippines, November 8) — A Yolanda memorial was unveiled on Wednesday in Tanauan, Leyte, where 1,836 of its residents died when Supertyphoon Yolanda hit the town.

The Tanauan local government, the Philippine National Police, the office of the Vice Governor of Leyte unveiled the icon of St. Medard of Noyon, a sixth-century bishop in France and the patron saint for protection from bad weather.

The icon of St. Medard - placed at the junction of Brgy San Roque in Tanauan - is one of several icons planned to be installed in Yolanda-affected areas in Leyte.

PNP-8 Regional Director Gilberto Cruz said that the image of St, Medard, made by two members from their regional office, would serve as a "vessel" for prayers.

[Translation: That prayers for protection reach the heavens and come for that protection to be given to us in times of calamities and disasters, not just ones that are from nature, but also personal upheavals.]

Leyte Vice-Governor Claro Loreto, who was among those who planned for the installation of the icon, said it would help strengthen people's faith in God.

"St. Medard can also be a vessel of our belief as Christians that there are saints who can help us link our prayers to God," Loreto said.

Almost 300 residents of Barangay San Roque, the largest barangay in Tanauan, died when storm surges due to Supertyphoon Yolanda hit the area.

The icon of St. Medard was installed in the barangay for this reason.

The supertyphoon hit the Eastern Visayas in November 2013. It was one of the strongest storms ever recorded. over 6,000 people died due to the storm.

In August, President Rodrigo Duterte signed an order to create a task force to implement and monitor rehabilitation and recovery efforts in areas hit by Supertyphoon Yolanda.